Collapsible decorative puppet

ABSTRACT

A DECORATIVE PUPPET HAVING A COLLAPSIBLE FRONT AND REAR PANEL. THE PANELS ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER SO THAT THE PUPPET HAS A PAIR OF STABLE POSITIONS. THE FRONT PANEL ALSO INCLUDES PORTIONS WHICH ARE COVERED IN A FIRST OF THE STABLE POSITIONS. THE PUPPET IS ELEVATED IN HEIGHT WHEN PLACED IN THE OTHER OF THE STABLE POSITIONS. THE COVERED PORTIONS ARE EXPOSED WHEN THE PUPPET IS IN THE ELEVATED POSITION.

Aug. 3, 1971 Filed June 15. 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 HAROLD INVENTOR.

LEWIS Aug. 3, LEWlS COLLAPSIBLE DECORATIVE PUPPET 4 Sheets-Shoe h .1

Filed June 15, 1967 lllll m/ VENFOR.

LEWIS HA'ROLD ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 3, 1971 LEvws 3,597,296

COLLAPS IBLE DECORATIVE PUPPET Filed June 15, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

I04 5 97 22 H08 V :20 26 27 as 32 56 5o MIVENTOR.

HAROLD LEWIS BY wean/ W,

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 3, 1971 LEWIS 3,597,296

COLLAPSIBLE DECORATIVE PUPPET Filed June 15, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

HAROLD LEWIS BY O 68mm,

ATTORNEYS.

United States Paten 3,597,296 COLLAPSIBLE DECORATIVE PUPPET Harold Lewis, 125 McCleuaghan Mill Road, Wynnewood, Pa. 19096 Filed June 15, I967, Ser. No. 646,391 Int. Cl. A63h 3/08, 3/10 U.S. Cl. 161l4 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLUSURE A decorative puppet having a collapsible front and rear panel. The panels are connected together so that the puppet has a pair of stable positions. The front panel also includes portions which are covered in a first of the stable positions. The puppet is elevated in height when placed in the other of the stable positions. The covered portions are exposed when the puppet is in the elevated position.

This invention relates generally to decorations and more particularly to a two-position puppet which may be used as a decoration.

Decorations for parties, table settings, etc. are often very expensive in order to provide the decorative effect desired. Decorations which may be made of paper or cardboard are normally Hat and do not have the display value that solid decorations or other costly decorations provide.

It is therefore an. object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a decorative puppet which may be made of paper.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved puppet which is inexpensive to manufacture, but which is pleasing and decorative.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved puppet which has a pair of stable positions, the first of which is low and the second of which is elevated or upright.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved decoration which has a pair of stable positions in which the decoration may stand by itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved decoration which is multipurpose in its application to seasonal holidays as well as other festive occasions.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a puppet which has a collapsible front and rear panel. The panels are connected together so that the puppet achieves a pair of stable positions. The front panel includes portions which are covered in a first of the stable positions. When the puppet is placed in the other of its stable positions, it is elevated in height and thereby exposes the previously covered portions.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a puppet embodying the invention per se in a low stable position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a puppet embodying the invention being manually snapped up from its low stable position to its upright stable position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the puppet embodying the invention per se in the upright stable position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a paper blank used to form the puppet embodying the invention;

'FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the paper blank as folded prior to assembly in final form as the puppet embodying the invention;

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of an alternate puppet embodying the invention in the lower stable position;

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the alternate puppet embodying the invention in an upright stable position; and

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a paper blank from which the alternate puppet embodying the invention is formed.

Referring now in greater detail to the various figures of the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, a puppet embodying the invention is shown generally at 20 in FIG. 1.

The puppet 20 is preferably made from a paper blank and depicts a Santa Claus. For ease of reference, the portions of the puppet will be referred to by the part of the Santa Claus puppet which it depicts. The paper puppet thus comprises a forward head portion 22, a pair of forward arm portions 24 and 26 and a forward base portion 28. Provided above the arms 24 and 26 are a pair of forward elbow portions 25 and 27, respectively.

In addition to the forward portions of the puppet, referring to FIG. 5, it can be seen that for each of the forwardmost portions, a corresponding rear portion is provided. Thus, the rear portion of the puppet comprises a rear head portion 30, a pair of rear arm portions 32 and 34 and a rear base portion 36. Provided above the rear arm portions 32 and 34 are a pair of rear elbow portions 33 and 35, respectively. The rear head portion 30 inclusive a tab 38 which as best seen in FIG. 6 projects below the remainder of the head portion 30.

The puppet, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, is in its low stable position. As best seen in FIG. 2, the puppet may be snapped into the upright stable position by grasping the tab 38 with one hand and one or both of the base portions 28 and/or 36 with the other hand and pulling them apart in the direction of arrows 40 and 42, respectively, in FIG. 2.

When the puppet is pulled up to its upright stable position, it appears as shown in FIGS. 3, 7 and 8.

In the upright stable position, it can be seen that the forward arm portions 24 and 26 are lifted above the base portion 28 and thereby expose intermediate portions 44 and 46, respectively, as well as a large portion of the base 28 which had been covered in the low stable position. Thus, various contents of the base 28 as well as the entire outer surface of portions 4% and 46 are exposed when the puppet is snapped up to the upright position. In addition, it can be seen that the forward elbow portions 25 and 27 are not only lifted, but are drawn at an angular position with respect to portions 24 and 26 and thus extend more vertically than the arm portions. A neck portion 48 provided above base portion 28 is. also exposed between the head portion 22 and the base 28 when the puppet is in the upright position.

Referring now to FIG. 8, it can be seen that the puppet 20 also includes rear intermediate portions 50 and 52 which are analogous to forward portions -44 and 46 and are also exposed in the same manner as their forwardm'ost portion counterparts. Similarly, a large portion of the rear base portion 36 is uncovered by the snapping of the puppet into the upright stable position. A rear neck portion '54 is also exposed by the snapping into the upright position in the same manner as forward neck portion 48. To return the puppet back into its lower stable position, it is necessary only to press the head portions 22 and downwardly in the directions opposite to arrow and to hold the base portions 28 and 36 stationary and the puppet snaps into its lower stable position.

i As best seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the paper puppet is formed from a stiff yet resilient paper blank. The cut out portions in blank 56 are shown in full line and the fold lines are shown in phantom. For ease of reference, fold lines which are closer to the viewer than the adjacent panels folded therealong will be hereinafter referred to as convex fold lines and fold lines that are further away from the viewer than the adjacent panels therealong will hereinafter be referred to a concave fold lines. The hat section 5 8 of the forward head portion 22 is formed by cutting out a portion of the rear head portion 30 along line 60. The cut out line 60 extends from a transversely extending convex fold line 62 to a transversely extending convex fold line 64 which are both aligned with each other and are extensions of convex fold lines 66 and 68, respectively. Fold lines 62 through 68 are thus provided along a straight line and act to substantially divide blank 56 in half. Therefore, convex fold lines 62 through 68 enable the blank to be folded in half longitudinally to form the forward and rear panels of the puppet 20 on the left and right of the fold lines respectively.

As best seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, when the blank 56 is folded along convex fold lines 60 through 68, the hat 58 projects upwardly above the remainder of forward head portion 22 and as best seen in FIG. 5, it results in a section being removed from rear head portion 30. Similarly, tab 38 is formed by cutting the blank 56 along line 70 which is arcuate and extends from convex transversely extending fold line 72 to transversely extending convex fold line 74. Lines 72 and 74 are spaced from each other the width of tab 38, are aligned with respect to each other and are parallel to convex lines 62 through 68. The beard projection of head portion 22 is formed by cutting along line 76 which is scalloped and extends between convex transversely extending fold lines 78 and 80. Convex fold lines 78 and 80 are aligned with respect to each other, are spaced by the beard projection formed by cut out line 76 and are also parallel to lines 62 through 68.

The remaining projections are provided on forward armsections 24 and 26 to form the fingers of the Santa Claus. Finger projection 82 is formed by a scalloped shape cut out line 84 which extends between transversely extending convex fold lines 86 and 88 which are aligned with respect to each other and are spaced by the projection 82. The remaining finger projection 90 is formed by a scalloped shaped cut out line 92 which extends between transversely extending convex fold lines 94 and 96 which are aligned with each other as well as fold lines 86 and '88. LA. transversely extending convex line 97 corresponding to and parallel to lines 86 through 96 is provided which bisects the rear half of the blank 56. All of the convex fold lines that are provided are thus parallel to the transversely extending edges 98 and 99 of the blank 56. l

The remaining fold lines provided are diagonally extending concave fold lines 100, 102, 104 and 106. Fold lines 100 and i102 extend diagonally in opposite directions along the forward half of the paper puppet. Lines 104 and 106 extend diagonally in opposite directions along the rear half of the paper puppet 20.

For the purpose of shaping the head of the Santa Claus puppet, a pair of trapezoidally shaped openings 108 and 110 are cut out of the forward and rear head portions 22 and 30, respectively. The bases of trapeziodally shaped cut outs 108 and 110 are provided at the center of straight cut out lines 112 and 114, respectively. Cut out lines 112 and 114 extend longitudinally between the most adjacent fold lines of the forward and rear panels. That is, line 112 extends between and to diagonal fold lines 102 and 104 and line 114 extends between diagonal fold lines 100 and 106. The cut out lines are spaced on opposite sides of head portions 22 and 30' and enable the separation of the elbow portions from the head when the puppet is snapped to its lower position.

It should also be noted that the longitudinally extending edges and 122 of the blank 56 extend inwardly from the center fold lines 62 through 68 and edges 98 and '99 toward the intermediate fold lines 86 through 96 and 97. Thus the longitudinal edges are provided with triangular scallops. These scallops, in addition to providing a more pleasing shape aesthetically to the puppet also provide greater stability to the puppet when in the lower position as will hereinafter be seen.

After the fold lines, the cut outs and cut out lines have been impressed into blank 56, the blank appears substantially as shown in FIG. 10. The blank 56 is then folded convexly along lines 62, 64, 66 and 68, respectively, and the puppet thus assumes the position shown in FIG. 3. The upright stable position is thus formed by folding the blank 56 substantially in half.

As best seen in FIG. 6, when the puppet 20 is snapped into its lower stable position, the base sections 2-8 and 30 are pressed against each other. The fold lines 86 and 88 between forward portions 24 and 44 and fold lines 94 and 96 between portions 2-6 and 46 are drawn over the major portion of the forward base panel 28. Similarly, the fold line 97 between panels 34 and 52 and 32 and 50 is drawn over a major portion of the rear base panel 36. The forward and head portions 22 and 30, respectively, are folded over and bent back upon the neck portions 48 and 54, respectively. The puppet thus rests upon the longitudinal edges 120 and 122 of the blank 56 at the side of the forward and rear arms and the edges 98 and 99 of base panels 28 and 30 when in the lower stable position. The puppet rests on edges 98 and 99 alone when in the upright stable position.

It can therefore be seen that an inexpensive puppet is provided. The puppet can be produced from a paper blank 'which may be formed in a single cutting operation by cutting out areas and impressing score lines simultaneously. The puppet is adapted to assume two stable positions thereby providing a toy as well as a decorative effect. The pop-up action produced by snapping the puppet from the lower stable position to the upright stable position also has the novel effect of displaying previously hidden or covered material.

An alternate puppet embodying the invention is shown generally at in FIGS. l l and 12. Puppet 150 which depicts an owl includes a forward head portion 152, a pair of forward arm portions 154 and 156, a pair of forward elbow portions 158 and 160, a forward base portion 162, a pair of forward intermediate portions 164 and 166, a forward neck portion 168 and corresponding rear portions 17-0 through 186, respectively. The puppet 150 depicts an owl in a low and upright position and as can be seen therein, the forward arm portions 154 and 156 rather than being used to depict the arms of a character are used for the purpose of depicting the wings of an owl.

The owl puppet 150 is preferably formed from a paper blank 188 which is out along lines 190 and 192 to form the ears of the owl which projects upwardly from forward head portion 152. The blank 188 is also cut along line 194 to form the beak of an owl which projects downwardly from forward head portion 152. A pair of straight line cutouts 196 and 198 are also provided which are parallel to each other, extend longitudinally and are spaced on opposite sides of the head portions 152 and 170, respectively, which enable the elbow portions 158, and 176, 178, respectively, to come down over the intermediate portions 164, 166 and 182, 184, respectively, when the puppet is snapped into the lower stable position.

Convex transversely extending fold lines are provided at the half-way portions of the blank 188 and the forward and rear portions of the blank. That is, convex fold lines 200, 202, and 204 are provided along the center of the blank which eifectively divides blank 18 8 in half. Convex fold line 20 6 is provided in the center of the forward portion of the blank 188 and convex fold line 208 is provided along the center of the rear half of the blank 188. Each of the convex lines are parallel to the transversely extending edges 210 and 212. Concave diagonal fold lines 214 and 216 which extend in opposite directions in the front panel of the blank 188 correspond to fold lines 100 and 102, respectively, of blank 56 in FIG. 9. Diagonal concave fold lines 218 and 220 corresponding to lines 104 and 106, respectively, of blank 56 are provided in the rear panel of blank 188. Finally, a pair of triangular openings 222 and 224 are provided in the head portions 152 and 170 in order to shape the head of the owl.

It can therefore be seen that the owl puppet 150 includes functionally similar fold lines and the longitudinally extending cutout lines about the head portions and thus operates in the same manner as the Santa Claus puppet 20. The difference are in the depiction of an owl rather than a Santa Claus, and in the cutouts which form the projections on the head and the arm portions.

Thus, many variations in cutouts can be made in the head and arm areas of the puppet so that various figures and objects can be depicted with puppets embodying the invention. The puppets are capable of standing alone or may be secured to other objects for decorative purposes. The puppets are inexpensive to manufacture and yet provide an impressive decorative as well as festive effect. Additionally, the bistable nature of the puppet enables it to be manipulated by the user. The pop-up effect also allows various portions of the puppet to be covered in one position and then exposed in the other position.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate my invention that others may, by applying current or future knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. A decorative puppet comprising a collapsible front and rear panel, said panels being foldedly connected together so that said puppet has a pair of stable positions, said front panel including portions which are covered by other portions of said front panel in a first of said stable positions, said puppet being elongated in length when placed in the other of said stable positions, said covered portions being exposed when said puppet is in said elongated position.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said puppet is formed of an integral paper blank, said blank being folded substantially in half to form said front and said rear panel.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said front and rear panels are similarly folded, each of said panels being folded concavely along oppositely extending diagonal lines and being convexly folded transversely along the center of said panel, said panels each further including a pair of longitudinally extending cut out lines which are parallel to each other and spaced from each other about head portions in each of said panels which are formed therebetween so that said puppet may be snapped to a shorter length by pressing said head portions whereby said puppet folds about said diagonal lines.

4. The invention of claim 2 wherein said forward and rear panels are cut out and folded to form corresponding forward and rear portions, said portions including a head portion, a neck portion, a pair of arm portions, a pair of intermediate portions, a base portion and a pair of elbow portions, said elbow portions being separated from said head portion by a pair of longitudinally extending cut out lines, the outer surfaces of each of said portions being entirely exposed when said puppet is in said other of said stable positions, said intermediate portions, said neck portion and large areas of said base portion being covered when said puppet is snapped into said first of said stable positions.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said arm portions cover and have tucked therebeneath said intermediate portions when said puppet is in said first stable position and said neck portion is covered by said head portion in said first position.

6. The invention of claim 2 wherein projections are provided in various portions in said puppet by providing cutout portions which extend from. said portions into adjacent portions past said fold lines.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 976,495 11/1910 Reeves 46-37 2,036,468 4/ 1936 Ellsworth 46-157 2,187,721 1/1940 Wolfson 40-126 3,055,142 9/1962 Palm 46-423 2,683,955 7/1954 Olson 46-157 3,386,196 6/1968 Razzolini 40-126 3,439,444 4/1969 Smith 461 3,461,023 8/1969 Pacza 161-14X HAROLD ANSHER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

